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an arcobaleno drabble

by

N A G A S H I . N O . K U R O

The first time they gathered, they were seven of the most powerful adults in the world sitting at a smooth oakwood table, the center of a tense, strained atmosphere that didn't quite fit Luce's cozy sitting room.

"Would you like some cookies?" Said woman smiled, offering up a basket of freshly baked treats.

Lal declined, Skull stuffed himself, Fong took one out of politeness, Verde and Viper didn't even glance up.

After a staring contest, Reborn opted for expresso.

The second time they gathered, the atmosphere was no less tense or strained: suspicious, calculating glances passed between them all.

"Would you like some cookies?"

Lal declined, Skull stuffed himself, Fong took one out of politeness, Viper took one because she was sure it was free, Verde didn't glance up.

Reborn had some expresso.

The fourth time they gathered, the atmosphere was still tense and strained...but it subsided as soon as Luce entered the room.

"Would you like some cookies?" she offered, like they had all known she would.

Lal wavered and finally took an oatmeal one, Skull stuffed himself as usual, Fong took one out of politeness, Viper took two because they were free.

Verde had a staring contest with Luce and finally took one with a grudging hand.

Reborn had some expresso...and a blueberry muffin.

The ninth time they gathered, the setting for the meeting was no longer Luce's sitting room. They were outside for whatever reason, the atmosphere still tense but no longer strained, Verde sat on the ground typing away at his laptop. Reborn leaned against a tree, while Fong sat crosslegged in its branches. Lal stood straight. Viper was nowhere to be seen, but she was somewhere.

(She couldn't keep away. None of them could, and they all knew it.)

Luce stood, head tilted, that eternal smile on her lips, watching the birds nestled in the branches of an elm.

The boulder fell and the shot rang out. Luce turned to Reborn, the surprise in her eyes mirroring his own.

(He hadn't meant to do it, hadn't meant to protect her.)

Her expression softened and she smiled.

He stopped questioning himself.

The twelfth time they gathered, they knew each other well enough so that Luce didn't have to say anything when she offered them cookies, none of them stared when Verde suddenly let out a cackle of laughter after typing away silently for two hours, and they all bullied Skull until he started ranting about how unfair they were for ganging up on him.

Luce rubbed her stomach, watching fondly as Skull wolfed down her cookies while Lal and Viper watched him in disgust.

(It's not perfect, but it will be.)

None of them except for Reborn noticed how the smile on her face grows sorrowful.

The thirteenth time they gathered, they were seven of the most powerful adults in the world, adults who were paranoid and yet had learned to trust one another, powerful and guarded adults who were completely unprepared for what happened to them.

Lal started yelling at Colonello. Skull screamed. Fong, Viper, and Verde simply stood there in complete disbelief.

Reborn watched as Luce stared down at her stomach.

The fourteenth time all of them gathered together, the one who is irreplaceable is gone and has been replaced, and another has betrayed them all.

Reborn grips his Leon handgun and allows himself one show of emotion: he glares at Verde, the vehemence in his eyes causing the Green Arcobaleno to take an involuntary step back.

Don't you dare dishonor her memory.

...it fails. Epically. Wah. But I love the Arcobaleno...especially Colonello and Lal, lol. I snuck a little CxL in there, did you notice? :D